Many artistic and industrial fields require the precise placement and distribution of substantially liquid, semi-liquid, or colloidal substances on a surface. For example, a person may want to apply a thin line of paint or adhesive to a surface. This can be accomplished by channeling the substance through a very narrow tube or a hollow-bore needle.
In addition, many of these substances are formulated to be quick-drying. Although this characteristic helps to prevent smudging and other defects after application, it makes the substance highly susceptible to drying out in its container if not sealed up properly after use. In the case of applicator tips with narrow interior cross-sections, such as hollow-bore needles, the relatively small amount of material that remains in the tip after application can easily dry out, thus clogging the tip. Often, a clogged tip cannot be cleared, and must be replaced.
What is needed is a simple device that can create an air-tight seal on a container of a substance, while also preventing clogging in an applicator tip.
The foregoing information reflects the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, this information is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above information discloses, teaches, suggests, shows, or otherwise renders obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.